0835:
2d Battalion commander (adjacent to 1st Bn) calls the brigade commander on
the command net attempting to send 1st Bn's report; he reports three T-62s
and one BMP have crossed the line of contact, and the 1st Bn CP was under attack.
Logged.

0902:
The battle captain returns from the targeting meeting and checks the journal.
"*& that's 30 minutes ago!" He yells to the brigade commander, gets his attention,
and explains what's happening.

0906:
The brigade commander attempts to contact the armor team commander and the
aviation task force commander. Negative
contact.

.
. . and the timeline continues on a typical brigade's typical day during a
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation.

The
typical lack of experience in brigade staffs negatively impacts the brigade's
ability to synchronize combat operations. Most captains on brigade staffs are
recent advanced course graduates, who bide their time on the staff waiting
for a company command.

The
impact on the brigade is significant if the newly arrived officer is assigned
as the brigade staff "Battle Captain." With little or no training and experience,
many recent advanced course graduates find themselves assigned into battle
captain positions that don't exist on any TO& and aren't addressed in any doctrinal
publication. Yet all brigades and many battalions now use a "Battle Captain"
in a variety of ways.

This
article is written for those officers who now find themselves titled Battle
Captain. It explains what's expected of you and how can you best go about preparing
to execute your duties to meet those expectations. Additionally, how to shape
the expectations of your commander, executive officer and operations officers
so they can make the best use of the person who is now the Battle
Captain.

WHO
SHOULD THE BATTLE CAPTAIN BE?

Typically
the person slotted as the battle captain is either a newly assigned, recent
advanced course graduate, or a first lieutenant waiting to punch out for an
advanced course. On rare occasions, the battle captain will be a previous company
commander.

Especially
in the case of the newly assigned captain or the lieutenant waiting to go to
an advanced course, the common denominator is a lack of knowledge and experience
about the intricacies of controlling a brigade command post and helping to
synchronize the myriad of assets available to the commander.

TECHNIQUES:

1)
Assign a "high speed" noncommissioned officer as the battle captain, or at
least as an assistant. NCOs are among the great underused assets in TOC operations.

2)
Assign the chemical officer as the battle captain. These officers will provide
some assignment stability and many have the additional duty of the USR, so
they already understand what goes on in the brigade.

Regardless
of who is assigned, their duties and responsibilities need to be clearly defined,
and then they
must be trained and equipped to perform the mission.

WHAT
SHOULD THE BATTLE CAPTAIN'S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BE?

Most
battle captains will find they may do no more than post maps, fill out journals
and answer radios. They will not be required or
expected
to
battle track, enforce unit orders, manage information in the command post or
make decisions based on commander's intent when the CO, XO or operations officer
is unavailable. In command posts where this is the case, the
unit will come to a screeching halt when the CO, XO, or S3 is asleep, away
from the command post, or become casualties.

The
battle captain should
be
capable of assisting the command group in controlling the brigade or battalion.
Remember, the commander commands the unit, and the XO is the chief of staff;
BUT,
those officers and the S3 must rest. They will also get pulled away from current
operations to plan future operations, or receive orders from higher headquarters.
The battle captain's role then is to serve as a constant in the CP, someone
who keeps his head in the current battle, and continuously assists commanders
in the command and control of the fight. That may sound easy enough until one
takes into account the complexity and intensity of C2 in an infantry battalion,
or greater yet, in a brigade task force. Contrast these complexities to the
normal inexperience of the battle captain, and it is easy to see why synchronization
problems occur too often.

Specifically,
the duties and responsibilities of the battle captain can be divided into three
major areas:

Information
Management

Military
Decisionmaking Process

TOC
Operations

Impacting
on the success or failure of these duties and responsibilities is the amount
of authority
given
and earned
by
the battle captain.

Information
Management

Brigade
and battalion CPs process an inordinate amount of information that must be
managed and filtered to provide the commander with the information necessary
to:

see
the battlefield

make
critical decisions

effectively
execute operations

The
focal point for information management in the CP is the battle captain.
If
the unit doesn't have a system to manage the information flowing in and out
of the CP, STEP 1 is develop
a system.

Regardless
of the system in place, someone must enforce the system. The battle captain
is that enforcer.

PROCEDURE:

Information
output: The battle captain should control all information, pertaining to all
the sections and units, that leaves the CP by approving all reports and major
messages that go to higher and subordinate headquarters. RESULT: Ensures consistency,
accuracy and timeliness. Reduces duplication of work by ensuring requests for
information (RFIs) passed to higher headquarters cannot be answered locally.

Information
input: Monitor information coming into the CP to stay abreast of the current
battle from the perspective of all the systems assigned to, and supporting,
the unit.

Monitor
adjacent units to gather more information and to ensure flank security.

Current
operations status: Ensure maps and charts used to track current operations
are current and continuously updated.

TECHNIQUE:

The
battle captain has the responsibility to monitor subordinate compliance with
orders. Battle captains must be forceful, and should have the authority to
push units for compliance, and to ask units why not? if they aren't complying.
The battle captain then informs the command group of unit compliance status.

Understanding
the communications architecture and knowing how to operate the various communications
components comprise a major part of the battle captain's information management
duties and responsibilities. In addition to his personal capabilities, the
battle captain is responsible for ensuring all in the CP know and understand
the communications architecture and how to operate the systems.

TECHNIQUE:

Cross-train
personnel on as many pieces of equipment as possible. Too often only one person
knows how to operate a particular piece of equipment (the tactical FAX, for
example), and if that person is unavailable, the equipment remains unused.

Military
Decisionmaking Process (MDMP)

The
battle captain impacts MDMP in two major ways. First, by orchestrating the
staff battle drills necessary for the agility demonstrated by high performing
staffs. Second, by assuming the lead for staff planning in those instances
where the commander and primary staff are not present. Almost all units have
staff battle drills in the SOPs to speed the decisionmaking process, but most
units do not use them, or train them.

PROCEDURE:

The
TSOP should include staff battle drills for those situations requiring a quick,
accurate response, such as learning indirect fires. If such drills are not
currently part of the TOC annex to the TSOP, the drills should be developed
and included.

TECHNIQUES:

To
make sure all TOC personnel understand the drills, they must be practiced until
they become routine.

Each
shift must execute the drills as a team, led by the battle captain.

The
drills must have a beginning and an end; the TOC element must follow the drills
through to completion to achieve the desired learning.

In
those instances where the S3, XO or plans officer is unavailable, the battle
captain will have to lead the remaining staff personnel through the required
planning.

TECHNIQUES:

Authorize
the battle captain to send FRAGOs resulting from this planning.

Use
NCOs to assist in the FRAGO preparation and issuance. NOTE: Most units do not
allow NCOs to even type FRAGOs, even though in garrison they plan, coordinate
and write MOIs for unit runs, changes of command, fiscal year ammunition forecasts,
etc. USE THEIR SKILLS IN THE TOC.

TOC
Operations

The
battle captain typically supervises the staff NCOs in the conduct of CP duties.
Since NCOs should be more heavily utilized, the battle captain should push
NCO battle staff training at home station. The NCO duties the battle captain
supervises include:

TECHNIQUE:

Typically
forgotten are subordinate
plans and graphics.
The battle captain cannot track subordinate units adequately without their
graphics and an understanding of the concept of operation. A subordinate commander,
in the heat of battle, will refer to points on the battlefield from his graphics
(he's more comfortable with them since he designed them). Have subordinates
bring
their graphics to the rehearsal.
The battle captain can check them for accuracy and then issue consolidated
unit graphics. The same technique applies to the targeting matrix for indirect
fires.

Battle
captains also need a firm grasp of the commander's intent and his guidance
as it impacts on the planning, preparation and execution of each mission. Most
battle captains will say all they are told is, "Don't call out the reserve,
and wake me if something important happens." While for some leaders this may
literally be true, and for others such statements are "tongue in cheek," the
proactive battle captain will collect and record the commander's guidance that
is continually given daily. Not only must the battle captain collect this guidance,
but he must also get clarification for any portion he does not understand.
The clarified guidance must also be passed to subordinates.

Commander's
Critical Information Requirements (CCIRs) may be formalized in writing, or
may be picked up in his verbal guidance, or interpreted by listening to questions
he frequently asks. In the latter two cases, an astute battle captain can capture
the CCIR and ensure the wheels are set in motion to meet those requirements.

If
the battle captain doesn't know, but thinks he needs to know, he must ask!

A
knowledgeable, savvy battle captain can and should be a force multiplier by
ensuring effective and integrated action in the command post. The greatest
contribution the battle captain makes is in anticipating events and setting
conditions for success of the task force.

PLACE:

Joint
Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Polk, LA.

SITUATION:

1400:
The brigade is executing an air assault on an enemy objective by one of its
subordinate battalions. The brigade is controlling the air assault.

Bde
S3 is forward in a ground tactical command post.

A
TOC shift change had been properly completed at 1300.

1401
First lift is in the air; LLVI intercepts an enemy call for fire.
Logged.
Battle captain directs the calls be monitored; directs MI company plot the
location of the enemy FDC; alerts fire support element for fire acquisition
radar, firing batteries, naval gunfire support to monitor enemy grid when reported
and prepare to fire the target.

1402
Battle captain calls air assault element and pre-clears that grid location,
based on that battalion's reconnaissance element report; calls Bde commander
and reports what has occurred and actions taken so far. Gets permission to
fire counterbattery if the enemy firing unit is acquired.

All
of the above actions take only 4 minutes. RESULT:
The battalion conducts the attack and stays in the vicinity of the objective
the next six days. During that period, the battalion suffers no casualties
from enemy indirect fires.

The
true example given above shows the value of a battle captain who anticipates,
and smoothly knows the actions to take in a turbulent time. This is truly a
combat multiplier for the entire brigade. Battle captains and battle staffs
that are properly trained can and will anticipate the needs of the task force
and set
the conditions for success.To
the TABLE OF CONTENTSTo
Brigade and Battalion Task Force Planning Process